July 04, 2011, 5:44AM

The following exchange between former New Jersey governors Brendan T. Byrne and Tom Kean took place in a Tuesday teleconference. Q: Do you think New Jersey’s reduction in state workers’ benefits could help accelerate similar action in other states, or was New Jersey an extreme case? GOV. BYRNE: What New Jersey did is trendy and certainly will be recognized... Full story »

June 20, 2011, 6:47AM

The following exchange between former New Jersey governors Brendan T. Byrne and Tom Kean took place in a Thursday-morning teleconference. Q: The latest health and pension reform proposal has the Legislature mandating a bigger contribution, but sending that issue back to the bargaining table in 2014. Is that a good start or does it just postpone the hard part?... Full story »

June 06, 2011, 5:51AM

The following exchange between former New Jersey governors Brendan T. Byrne and Tom Kean took place in a Thursday-morning teleconference. Q:. Is Gov. Chris Christie’s helicopter ride to his son’s baseball game a legitimate target for criticism or a big deal about not much? GOV. BYRNE: It’s tradition that everybody criticizes the governor for using the helicopter. If Jon... Full story »

May 23, 2011, 6:00AM

The following exchange between former New Jersey governors Brendan T. Byrne and Tom Kean took place in a Thursday-morning teleconference. Q: It was projected this week that the state will collect an additional $913 million in tax revenues. First, should we be cautious about thinking this is definitely cash in hand? GOV. BYRNE: No. I think that projection is... Full story »

May 09, 2011, 6:22AM

The following exchange between former New Jersey governors Brendan T. Byrne and Tom Kean took place in a Wednesday morning teleconference. Q: With our defenses on alert again after the death of Osama bin Laden, what is preventing us from providing adequate spectrum to first responders? Is it bureaucracy? Politics? Money? Do you see signs bin Laden’s death could... Full story »

April 18, 2011, 6:43AM

The following exchange between former New Jersey governors Brendan T. Byrne and Tom Kean took place in a Thursday morning teleconference. Q: Gov. Christie has introduced a bill to abolish teacher tenure. Realistically, what are his chances? GOV. BYRNE: I get the feeling he has the public behind him on this issue. If that’s the case, he’s going to... Full story »

April 04, 2011, 6:16AM

The following exchange between former New Jersey governors Brendan T. Byrne and Tom Kean took place in a Thursday morning teleconference. Q: For the first time, voters in some 30 towns are being asked to approve municipal budgets in which increases would exceed the 2 percent cap. Could this be a step toward voters routinely approving municipal budgets as... Full story »

March 22, 2011, 5:57AM

The following exchange between former New Jersey governors Brendan T. Byrne and Tom Kean took place in a Wednesday afternoon teleconference. Q: Has the state Supreme Court gone too far in its education opinions? GOV. BYRNE: In these times, determining what the state should spend is not what the court is apt to do, and it would be a... Full story »

March 22, 2011, 5:52AM

The following exchange between former New Jersey governors Brendan T. Byrne and Tom Kean took place in a teleconference last week. Q: Has the state Supreme Court gone too far in its education opinions? GOV. BYRNE: In these times, determining what the state should spend is not what the court is apt to do, and it would be a... Full story »

March 06, 2011, 6:35AM

The following exchange between former New Jersey governors Brendan T. Byrne and Tom Kean took place in a Thursday-morning teleconference. Q: Gov. Chris Christie clearly has a higher national profile than he did even a few months ago. Is it too early to be handicapping his chances for national office? GOV. BYRNE: You could handicap it every day. What... Full story »

February 20, 2011, 5:55AM

The following exchange between former New Jersey governors Brendan T. Byrne and Tom Kean took place in a Wednesday-morning teleconference. Q: Both parties now seem to agree New Jersey needs pension reform. But is Senate President Stephen Sweeney trying to undercut Gov. Chris Christie by introducing his own pension reform plan ahead of the governor? BYRNE: This is what... Full story »

February 06, 2011, 6:03AM

The following exchange between former New Jersey governors Brendan T. Byrne and Tom Kean took place in a Tuesday teleconference. Q: Gov. Chris Christie is talking about restoring some form of homestead rebates. Are we on sufficiently secure financial footing to be dispensing more of the state income? GOV. BYRNE: I remember Christie’s first speech in which he rejected... Full story »

January 23, 2011, 6:38AM

The following exchange between former New Jersey governors Brendan T. Byrne and Tom Kean took place in a Wednesday afternoon teleconference. Q: Camden, one of the state’s most violent cities, just laid off half its police force. Is this what small government looks like? What do we do if violent crime spikes? BYRNE: The Camden situation is going to... Full story »